From feeding and sheltering people who are homeless, to providing transitional housing for families, to helping families stay in contact with loved ones in prison, Central provides many opportunities to respond to God’s love by serving in our community.
Alternative Christmas Fair
We sponsor an alternative Christmas giving opportunity annually on the first two Sundays of Advent to educate members and provide financial support for our mission partners.
Central Night Shelter
We support the Central Night Shelter by providing space for up to 65 men in our gymnasium each year from November 1 to March 31, financial support and volunteer teams for approximately 15 nights a year. These teams provide teams to make lunches, make and serve dinner for the guests and spend the night.
Central Foot Clinic
We provide teams that provide basic foot care for the guests of the Central Night Shelter each Wednesday during the shelter season.
Central Outreach and Advocacy Center
We support the OAC through our provision of space and utilities, budget and endowment support, participation on its Board of Directors, and collaborative efforts to support its mission to partner with individuals and families to assist them to avoid or recover from homelessness and to advocate on their behalf. For example, we co-sponsored a class on Sunday mornings to educate and involve members in issues related to homelessness and mental illness.
Child Development Central of Central
We support the CDC through our provision of space and utilities, budget and endowment support, participation on its Board of Directors, and collaborative efforts to support its mission to educate and care for young children. For example, we established a program to support teachers more fully by providing assistance with day-to-day life issues, including budgeting, financial literacy, credit reporting, student loans, and wills. We also offer our members an opportunity to contribute to its tuition scholarship annually in lieu of buying and sending Christmas cards to each other.
Christmas Breakfast with Guests of the Central Night Shelter
We cook, serve and share breakfast with the guests of the Central Night Shelter each Christmas morning (and Easter morning, when it falls within the shelter season: November 1 – March 31). Our pastors create and lead, together with the guests, worship services for these mornings.
Habitat Houses
We helped build five Habitat houses in metro Atlanta, together with local Jewish and Muslim congregations. Our last Habitat build took place in 2010.
Prison Ministry
We drive family members to visit their loved ones in prison18 Saturdays a year. Friends of Prison Families coordinates trips to Oglethorpe on 1st Saturdays and the Open Door Community coordinators trips to Milledgeville on 3rd Saturdays.
San Gabriel Transitional House
We own a home that serves as transitional housing for families who participate in Decatur Cooperative Ministry’s Family House Program. We help screen, evaluate and support families that participate in the Family House program and maintain the house and yard.
Pollard/Covenant Grants
We make grants of approximately $90,000 annually each spring to support local organizations that serve people in need. Factors used i making grants include:
- Consistency of the organization's mission with the fund's purpose
- Strength of the current relationship with Central
- Types of opportunities for members to serve
- Size of the organization's budget and its ability to secure other funding
Grant Applications
Pollard Fund
Covenant Fund
In addition, we provide financial support to the following ministries:
CHILDREN'S MINISTRIES
Council of Intown Neighborhoods and Schools works with the Department of Education to identify important issues, engage community resources, and propose sustainable solutions in in-town schools.
Our House provides quality early childhood education to children of homeless families, as well as support for their families.
PRISON/CRIMINAL JUSTICE MINISTRIES
Forever Family focuses on lessening the impact of a parent’s incarceration on his/her children and the children’s caregiver(s) by providing supportive services to the children, as well as select services for inmates and caregivers.
Georgia Justice Project - Georgia Justice Project is an unlikely mix of lawyers, social workers, and a landscaping company that defends people accused of crimes and, win or lose, stands with its clients as they rebuild their lives in order to break the cycle of crime and poverty.
Juvenile Justice Fund is a multi-faceted program, working with both children and youth in foster care and runaway programs, and the Juvenile Justice System.
HOMELESS MINISTRIES
Clifton Sanctuary Ministries provides food, rest, shelter, healing, and support for homeless men of Atlanta who are elderly or disabled.
Crossroads Community Ministry works with homeless men, women and children through developing supportive relationships and offering tangible supports to help individuals move toward safety and self-sufficiency.
Decatur Cooperative Ministry provides housing, homelessness prevention, and supportive services to homeless and at-risk families.
Genesis Shelter serves families with a baby under two months of age, with priority given to families with newborns.
Hope House provides transitional housing for homeless men who are participating in a structured addiction treatment program, with the goal of becoming self-sufficient.
Open Door Community provides meals, showers, clothing, free medical and foot clinics, mail and phones, a public bathroom and advocacy for homeless people.
OLDER ADULT MINISTRIES
Presbyterian Homes of Georgia works to provide exceptional services to enhance the quality of life for senior adults.
OTHER
Discovering Opportunities for Outreach and Reflection (DOOR) Atlanta is a faith-based network of urban service/learning programs that expose, educate, challenge, and motivate participants to respond to the issues and concerns facing an increasingly urban world.
For information on becoming involved in the ministry to those in our community, contact Associate Pastor Caroline Kelly.
